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jbeletti avatar image
jbeletti asked

Install MultiPlus on Carpeted Wall

I am installing a MultiPlus 12-3000-120 in a ventilated space under my RV bed. I'll have a lot of related equipment installed there as well (LiFePO4 batteries, Solar Charge Controller, DC Power In, fuses, switches etc).

I had planned to paint the space (a box really - 4' L x 2' W x 2' H) white before placing any equipment in it. Now I'm considering using that thin, gray trunk or speaker box carpeting as it will still look nice and the carpet, visually is very forgiving when needing to remove a screw and move a component.

I've read the manual and saw where they warn about putting it on/near textiles. I've seen a number of RV installs where the MultiPlus has been mounted on carpeted (same thin stuff) walls.


Does anyone have any experience with how much heat this MultiPlus can put out on the back side? Has anyone who's installed a MultiPlus on carpet had a negative experience in doing so?

MultiPlus Quattro Inverter Charger
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2 Answers
kai avatar image
kai answered ·

The actual heat dissipated depends on your load. When I'm charging with a similar multiplus unit the case does warm up

Physically the majority of the case is set forward of the mounting point - its kind of hard to describe, but when its installed using the supplied bracket, most of the case isn't making direct contact with the wall, there's a small gap.

My interpretation is that the warning against textiles is about:

1) large pieces of fabric which could cover and block the active air flow provided by the internal fans

2) large pieces of fabric which could cover the unit and has low resistance to elevated temps (melt/singe/burn/etc)

May want to check that the carpet is not so thick as to make direct contact with the case if the material reacts badly to heat (or best to use another carpet type)

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jbeletti avatar image jbeletti commented ·

Thanks for the feedback. If I go through with carpeting this box, perhaps I will use a piece of aluminum diamond plate behind the full width and height of both the MultiPlus and the MPPT. This should address the concern about being mounted on textiles and may also serve as a bit of a heat-sink. I will mount the diamond plate onto the plywood and not on top of carpet.

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boekel avatar image boekel ♦ jbeletti commented ·

Good idea, except I'd use a 'flat' plate without the diamonds ;)

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boekel answered ·

In boat setups the norm is to use a non combustible surface, as things can get warm, and when a (wiring) problem heats up stuff...

the inverter I personally wouldn't worry about but the MPPT's can get quite hot...

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jbeletti avatar image jbeletti commented ·

Thanks for the feedback. I was wondering of the MPPT gets hotter than the MultiPlus.

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boekel avatar image boekel ♦ jbeletti commented ·

yep they do, and as they don't have forced cooling (fan) you'll need to make sure you have an airflow through the cooling fins if you mount them horizontal (cooling fan ducted to the MPPT)

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jbeletti avatar image jbeletti boekel ♦ commented ·

I'll be using a dual cooling fan setup with 2 input grills for the small space my gear will be located in. It will be thermostatically controlled and I will monitor and graph the temperature in the space to guide any future modifications to the ventilation system.

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